Specific women's health related checkups

Hi friends
in this thread i want to give information about what specific issues women need to take care for a healthy life
these are apart from general issues like healthy diet ,active life style , weight maintenance & mentally stimulating activities.

Diet
a woman is more prone to have deficiencies of calcium , iron, vit b12 & vit d. So she should increase the intake of foods rich in these nutrients ( can get from internet )

vaccines
ideally vaccination for prevention of cervical cancer should be taken before the sexual activity starts
but it can also be taken anytime , as soon as you come to know about it.

Health check ups

from puberty onwards every girl should do a monthly self breast examination ( technique on the net ) throughout life
if any lump or pain is felt she should consult the doctor
an ultrasound examination of the breasts should be done every 5 years
after the age of 40 years mammogram should be done
in women with a family history of breast cancer these examinations should be done yearly

every woman should do a pap smear test to screen for cervical cancer from the time of sexual activity , irrespective of taking a vaccine.
These should be yearly for 2-3 years . If normal results the time interval can be increased to 3 - 5 years. After the age of 70 years the test is not needed. Even if the woman is not sexually active in later life she should still continue with the tests.
Women with a family history of cervical cancer should do the test yearly.

When they are in their thirties they should do

• serum ferritin levels ( iron levels )
• serum vit b12 levels
• vit d3 levels
• thyroid hormone levels
• lipid profile test ( for cholesterol )
• blood sugar tests
• blood pressure measurement

these should be repeated every 5 years
in case of relevant family history they should be done at an earlier age

on nearing menopause they should do bone density studies. It should be repeated every 5 years up to 3 times after complete menopause.
This test is to screen for osteoporosis.
Regular exercises , calcium rich diet and maintaining a normal bmi also help in prevention of osteoporosis.

Women are protected against heart disease by their hormones. After menopause this protection is lost . So they should be active , take low fat diet , keep their blood pressure and sugar under good control & try to lead a well adjusted , happy and stress free life.

Hope this post is helpful. Please add to it if i have forgotten anything.